Jamaicans Blaze

George | August 5, 2012 | 0 Comments

The 100M is always one of the most exciting events of any Olympics. It is based on pure speed and reaction, with a little technique mixed in. The victory provides 2 things: A Gold Medal and the title of World’s Fastest Man.

In 2008, the world was introduced to Jamaica’s Usain Bolt. He demolished his competition setting a then world record of 9.69, as he seemingly let up the last 20m. It was an amazing experience to watch. Bolt went on to lower the mark even further in 2009 by running at a Flash Gordonish 9.58! More recently, a few question marks about Bolt’s position began to surface. In this years Jamaica qualifying, Bolt was beaten by teammate Yohan Blake in both the 100m and 200m.

The Olympics were the chance Bolt needed to remind people who he was. Besides Blake, his next biggest challengers were the Americans. The US contingent included Lexington’s Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin. Gay had fizzled in his previous Olympic attempt at the 100M while nursing a hamstring injury. Yet, He had proved he could put up times that only Bolt had beaten with a 9.69 in Shanghai in 2009. Gatlin won the US trials with a time of 9.8 and was also the 2004 Olympic Champion in the 100M.

The Finals were set with all the top competitors including Jamaica’s Bolt, Blake, and Asafa Powell. The Americans also qualified three sprinters with Gay, Gatlin, and surprise finalist Ryan Bailey. The field was all there and it was Bolt’s chance to redeem his recent loss to Blake and it was the fields chance to top Bolt. Yet, the race was clearly for 2nd. Gatlin started fast but was easily overtaken by Bolt and he breezed to a new Olympic record of 9.63! Three of Bolt’s competitors finished with personal bests but that was not enough to overcome the World’s Fastest Man.

Here is how the entire field finished and their times:

As you can see, no one would keep Bolt and Blake from dancing! This is the rock star event of the summer Olympics and Bolt is the biggest star from his mythical pose to his DJ’ing while being introduced prior to the race. How rare is the repeat in 100M? It’s only happened twice before when Carl Lewis won in ’84-’88 and 1904-1906 by Archie Hahn! Usain Bolt is the fastest man you have ever seen, but don’t blink or you might miss him!